A MAN remains in critical condition after he was attacked at a bar in Southport.

The 24-year-old suffered serious head injuries following the incident at Destination Bar on Coronation Walk in the early hours of Saturday morning.

Police were called to the club at around 5.50am following reports of an argument between two men outside its front doors.

Paramedics treated the victim, believed to be from Southport, for half an hour before taking him to Southport Hospital.

He his since been transferred to the neurology unit at Walton Hospital.

Destination, which only opened a month ago, was cordoned off as forensic enquiries were carried out, although it opened for business as usual on Saturday night.

Gino Mendi, owner of the nearby Bistro Bar Med, said people thought the victim had been killed in the incident.

“As far as I know there was an argument outside the club on Saturday morning when this man got hit and fell over and hit his head,” he said.

“The ambulance arrived and they tried to resuscitate him for 30 minutes.

“People said the paramedics covered him up then, so they thought he had died, but thankfully that wasn’t the case.

“It only opened a month ago, but this is the first trouble there’s been at the place.”

Local councillor Brenda Porter said the incident would lead to calls for a greater police presence in the town.

She said: “Apart from the fact that you don’t want anyone to get hurt, this is disturbing because we don’t get much trouble in our town centre, so when something like this happens it makes you very wary.

“You hope the emergency services will not be called on, but you do need them there and the call will go out for a greater police presence on our streets.”

A 32-year-old man arrested on suspicion of assault has been released on police bail.

Merseyside Police is appealing for anyone who may have witnessed the incident to contact them on 0151 777 3460, or Crimestoppers 0800 555 111.